


The Good Doctor

by rolyat96



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Bisexual Charlie Swan, F/F, F/M, M/M, Making Twilight Gay, Multi, Mystery, SMeyer did Rosalie Dirty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 11:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17243144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rolyat96/pseuds/rolyat96
Summary: There's been bear attacks in Forks, Washington or so the medical examiner has reported, but Charlie Swan isn't so sure.As he investigates on his own time, he crosses paths with the mysterious and intriguing new doctor, Carlisle Cullen, and his adopted family. Something about this whole situation doesn't add up to Charlie, but he's finding it hard to care.





	The Good Doctor

          _Beep-beep-beep-beep_. Charlie flung one hand out and fumbled to turn the alarm off. He stretched with a groan and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, remembering the frequent nag by Renee that doing that would make him an old wrinkled bat by 40. The old dull pain barely sparked. The shabby curtains let in the thin winter morning light. A quick shower and trim of his mustache (he had discovered a group of gray hairs on one side of it) and he was locking the front door behind himself. With the keys in the lock, he wavered for a second; he wasn’t hungry now but would he be between now and noon? He went back inside for a pop-tart.

          In his cruiser, he turned on the only local pop station and hummed tunelessly but passionately along with ‘It’s Gonna Be Me.’ Only a few people knew of his deep and abiding love of pop music. Even Isabella, his daughter, didn’t know. Pulling into the police station, he wavered on the last notes of the song before shutting the cruiser off.

          “Morning, Steph.” He said, nodding to the motherly-looking woman behind the front desk.

          She smiled warmly, it immediately warming up her deep brown face, “Morning, Charlie. Isabella’s due home soon isn’t she? You getting ready?”

          “About three weeks now. It feels new every time.” He paused a moment on his way to the coffee maker. “I wish she’d just stay. I don’t think she likes Arizona very much anyway.”

          Steph nodded. Charlie knew she understood; her son Levar was on his third year of college and he had very much been a mama’s boy when he was small. “You always seem—brighter—when she’s back.”

          He nodded and continued awkwardly making a coffee. He took the little Styrofoam cup to his desk, sipping it experimentally. Flipping through reports that he needed to finish up, he felt a surge of love for his hometown.

 

> _Ms. Phillips, age 96 years, on Eastern Ave, called in with a report that her cat_ _had crawled into the wall and could not find its way out again._ _As Animal Control was out of range, Officer Swan was dispatched to the scene._

 

          “Hey, Swan. Didn’t you hear the radio?” He shook his head. “Park Rangers up on the Colonel Bob Peak trail are requesting backup for an incident on the trail. A hiker radioed in that they fell and think they broke something. They’re not responding anymore, so Chief wants a couple of us with medi experience to make a guest appearance.”

          “Can do, Jerry,” Charlie said, releasing a huff of air as he got to his feet. “Let me get my hiking boots.”

 

It wasn’t a pretty sight. Charlie wished he had brought a scarf or something to stifle the smell. They weren’t far behind whatever had done this, the still-bright red blood confirmed that. But the smell of paint thinner and sweet metal caught in the back of his throat and made him gag.

          One of the rangers had confirmed the body’s identity with a found driver’s license, but that was about all they could do as far as identification out here. The face was battered and swollen like he’d gotten into a fistfight before being killed and his clothes were drenched in blood. The geyser seemed to come from his neck, but it was hard to tell; the man’s belly had been raked and left arm was attached by a half an inch of sinew. Charlie glanced at the socket and stifled the bile.

          “You think it was a person? There was a bear sighting twenty miles away a couple weeks ago.” Charlie said.

          One of the rangers, his stern face slightly pinched, “Hard to tell. He mighta fell down the ledge up there,” He gestured vaguely about ten yards ahead to a fifteen foot drop. “But that don’t explain all this… crap.” He squinted at the roots of the nearby trees, splashed with blood. “Might be a bear, maybe a bobcat. We’ll know more once the medical examiner gets her hands on and in the body.” Charlie frowned and tried not to think about the autopsy; the ranger smiled grimly. “Considering how fast this attack happened and the ferocity of it, I think we can’t totally rule out some sort of foul play. Y’all want to run this jointly?”

          Charlie and his coworker, Officer Thomson shared a look. Thomson spoke up in his low, earthy tone, “Sure. I don’t think any of us brought the right equipment for dealing with a body; you think a couple should gather evidence and get him all packaged up while people go get a bus?”

          “Sounds good,” said the stern ranger. There were mutterings of general agreement.

          “I’ll stick around.” Thomson leaned into Charlie, “You can head back; you look a little green around the gills.”

          Charlie gave the man a tight smile. “’Preciated.”

 

The drive back to the station was a misery. He had the windows all the way down, despite the wet chill in the air, just to try to flush the stink out, but it seemed to cling to his uniform. Even listening to Britney Spears did nothing for his mood. God, he’d have to change into eval gear. Sweats and a t-shirt were comfy, but not the best attire for going on patrol or responding to calls.

          “You alright, Charlie?” Steph called behind him as Charlie walk-ran to the back of the police station, his face pinched tightly.

          “Mmhm,” he managed.

          He had his uniform half stripped off by the time he reached the back of the station. Slamming the lid of the washer shut and standing in just his boxers, a chill swept through him, but also a sense of relief at not continuously gagging. Fortunate really, that he still had those dress out clothes stuffed in his locker. With his luck, they’d be dirty or lost or disintegrating. Besides a slightly musty smell, they were perfectly fine.

          A gurgle of his stomach and a quick glance at his watch informed a surprised Charlie that it was already half past noon. The whole affair hadn’t seemed to take that long (although the drive back seemed to crawl by). Fortunately, there was life-saving sustenance in a half-forgotten, almost totally frostbitten pepperoni hot pocket buried deep in the recesses of the Police Station break room freezer.

          As the microwave worked its magic, Charlie let his mind go blank. The dulcet tones of Steph talking to her sister-in-law on the phone, until something in what she said washed over him and broke through. He really should cook for himself more. Isabella was always telling him he needed to take better care of himself when she was here. Maybe he could surprise her by taking cooking classes. A rush of warmth in his chest made him smile.

          “Yeah I’ve seen the new doc in town. Charity made me drive her to the emergency room last night for her fever and he was just there, like something divine. There’s no way someone can be that perfect, it’s not right and I’m pretty sure it’s not legal,” She paused. “No, I’m telling you! I asked one of the nurses how old he was because Lord knows we only get ancient doctors around here, he said, ‘He’s just 35. Can you believe?’ And I couldn’t. Too bad he has a wedding ring.” She breathed a sigh of disappointment. “Name? Uhh, Car-Carl-Carlisle Cullen? Dr. Cullen.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm working on chapter two. Also this chapter may change due to beta'ing.


End file.
